Birth of the Demonic Sword

Getting back to the plain with the four tornados wasn't an issue since the dimensional portal had remained open. Noah and the others could return to the main area of the eighth floor and move toward other passages, but worries inevitably appeared.

The eighth floor required two keys to get to the next area, and Vesuvia had admitted that each dimensional portal led to a place that could provide one of them. Yet, that also meant that the other dimensions might contain environments similar to the crowded city.

The Cursed Labyrinth had attracted Noah and June because they needed allies for the final battle against Heaven and Earth. However, the eighth floor might put them in front of a difficult choice. They might have to decide to sacrifice potential allies to proceed.

'Hopefully, the creators aren't so sadistic,' Noah thought as he approached the second dimensional portal with his group.

The teleport activated. The Labyrinth's force didn't try to separate the group, but Noah enveloped his allies in his dark world anyway. It had almost become a habit to use his dark matter to defend against possible dangers, and his decision turned out to be correct at that time.

Noah didn't have the time to unfold his consciousness when the teleport ended, or, rather, the environment prevented the expansion of his mental waves as soon as the area stabilized. Rumbling noises filled everyone's ears and tried to affect their concentration, but the dark matter prevented that foreign force from reaching the group.

The second dimensional portal had led the group to an immense bright environment. The sky was dark due to the black clouds that covered it, but the many white lightning bolts falling from them were enough to illuminate the area.

Noah and the others immediately connected the lightning bolts to Heaven and Earth, but they also noticed a few differences after closely inspecting them. Those sparks and crackling rain only tried to imitate the rulers' power without ever stepping into their realm.

The dark world held strong under the rain of lightning bolts, but louder noises came from deeper areas of the dimension. The crackling rain grew more powerful near the end of the separate reality, with attacks that touched the very peak of the cultivation journey.

"Noah," June called while suppressing her excitement.

"I know," Noah stated. "I'm only trying to understand if this area has living beings."

"How can you sense something in the middle of this chaos?!" Fiery Mountain asked.

"Defying Demon has senses that go past the mental waves," Pellio chuckled without moving his half-closed eyes from the short table on his flying mat. "Am I right, Mister Turtle?"

"I smell something," The upper tier turtle commented.

"Me too," Noah revealed. "They must be in the clouds."

"What did the creators even build in this area?" Old Tyrant asked.

"Heaven and Earth's power can't be replicated so easily," Gabrielle commented.

"They didn't replicate it," Noah explained. "These creatures are on my side, our side. They are flaws in Heaven and Earth's system."

"How can you be so sure?" Fiery Mountain asked.

"I can smell it," Noah declared, and Fiery Mountain rolled her eyes.

"What do you think?" June eventually questioned.

"They are different from the sky but also similar," Noah exclaimed. "Maybe they are living beings naturally born from the whiteness, or parasites with the same properties. Anyway, they might be useful in the final battle."

"So, our worries were on point," June sighed. "The eighth floor wants us to decide which forces to bring in the final battle."

"We still have two dimensions left," Noah announced, "But the trend feels obvious already."

Noah felt a bit disappointed, but he had to play by the rules. Usually, he would take a look at the other dimension before making his decision, but the rain of lightning bolts was simply too perfect for June.

"Leave a few of them alive," Noah ordered. "I want to study these creatures before deciding if they can come with us."

"It would be a pity to kill them," June chuckled as she stepped forward and slowly left the protection of the dark world.

"Aren't we going to help her?" Fiery Mountain asked.

"No, we are leaving," Noah stated. "Get back to us once you are done. I'll check on you after seeing what the third dimension has to offer."

"I love you too," June announced before immersing herself in the rain of lightning bolts.

The black clouds seemed to notice her presence, and the crackling rain quickly converged on her. The event involved only the weaker lightning bolts in her surroundings, but the stronger ones in the distance also prepared themselves for her arrival.

Old Tyrant and the others remained surprised when they saw June's figure enduring lightning bolt after lightning bolt without ever flinching. She seemed unable to crumble under that power, and her aura even intensified in the process.

"Let's go," Noah ordered as the dark world condensed and went through the dimensional portal.

"Boss, will she be okay?" Old Tyrant asked once the group returned to the plain with the tornados.

"That's up to her," Noah sighed before leading the dark world toward the next tornados.

Another dimensional portal appeared in the group's view, and the teleportation force soon fell on them. The environment transformed again, and an awful smell managed to seep past the dark world once everything stabilized.

The event naturally surprised Noah, who called upon his potential to enhance his mind's properties to study the area and modify the dark world. The process only took a few seconds, but part of that disgusting scent remained among the dark matter and tried to spread inside the technique.

The scent's properties were unclear. Noah saw that it tried to spread through his dark matter, but he had already modified the dark world to prevent its expansion. Still, part of his higher energy remained tainted, and vague dizziness also tried to affect his mind.

'I barely smelled it!' Noah commented in his mind.

His companions' situation was worse. Old Tyrant, Gabrielle, and Fiery Mountain's eyes grew heavy, and the same happened to the weaker turtles. They seemed about to faint, but Noah had prevented that outcome with his quick improvements.

Only Noah, the upper tier turtle, and Pellio remained at their peak after catching a whiff of that scent. It was clear that the area wasn't only poisonous. It was also too dangerous for beings unable to hold their ground against the peak of the cultivation journey.

Noah and the upper tier turtle also noticed the presence of multiple creatures. The dimension was an immense swamp with no trace of vegetation. The muddy ground had numerous dark-green lakes, and their dark fumes rose in the air and filled the sky with eerie shades.

"How long can you survive in this environment?" Noah asked.

The upper tier turtle responded without needing an explicit mention. "My resilience is immense, but this environment might be able to defeat me."

The leader wasn't underestimating the swamp, but it didn't want to show weaknesses either. Still, Noah could see through that vague confession. He understood that the upper tier turtle would probably die before reaching the end of the environment, meaning that he had to handle the matter alone.

"Get out, all of you," Noah eventually ordered. "I'll handle this dimension on my own.. Go take a look to the last portal in the meantime, but escape if it's too dangerous."